The Negotiating Committee is providing this update to the AMFA Membership at Alaska Airlines (ASA). This is the only official authorized source of negotiating communications by the Committee.

We would like to announce that we have reached an Agreement in Principle (AIP) on our contract with ASA. On December 9-10, 2016, AMFA and ASA met to continue negotiations at the Westin Hotel in Bellevue, WA. We started at 10:00 am on Friday and finished at approximately 11:15 pm. We continued our session from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Saturday, whereas we came to an AIP with the Company.

While the major components have been agreed upon, we still have some specific language that remains to be written and agreed upon to have a formal TA (Tentative Agreement). Over the next few weeks we will be meeting with the Company to finalize the agreement for your consideration. We will then commence a road show to the major stations to answer questions on the agreement before the ballots are mailed out. We are anticipating the vote on the agreement to be finalized around the beginning of March 2017.

Throughout this negotiation process our Committee had continued to push for enhancements to Article 2, Scope, Retirement Plans, and Insurance along with increases to our dental plan benefits, with reduced contribution caps on our Medical Plan. In these areas the Company has been unwilling to move from their position of “No.”

The agreement contains the following enhancements to our current contract:

All employees are eligible to receive adjusted Company match portion to the 401(k) of 50% match on 8% employee contribution, up from 50% match on 6% employee contribution.

Healthcare

Current 2016 contribution caps apply in 2017; 7 % increase to caps in 2018; then 8% increase to caps in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Increased chiropractic care from 12 to 24 visits per year.

Increased hearing aid benefit from $300.00 per ear every 24 months to $3000.00 total every 24 months

Increased Life and A.D. & D. as follows:

Basic monthly earnings
$1,000.00 but less than $2,000.00
$2,000.00 but less than $,3000.00
$3,000.00 but less than $4,000.00
$4,000.00 but less than $5,000.00
$5,000.00 but less than $6,000.00
$6,000.00 but less than $7,000.00
$7,000.00 and over

LOA # 9, Job Protection extended with the additional stations of Las Vegas, Orange County, Sacramento, San Diego and San Jose. The letter is dated back to October 18, 2016. Additionally, it says that the Company will not subcontract any aircraft maintenance to McGee Air Services, Inc.

LOA # 12 – Vacation Buyback Program, allowing an employee to cash out vacation up to two times a year and be received as cash or a contribution to his 401(k) plan, which will be Company match-able.

Remember to check your Local’s website for the most up-to-date information on times and locations of the upcoming road show: www.amfa14.org and www.amfa32.com. If you have any questions, please contact your Airline Representative or attend your next monthly membership meeting for a question and answer period.

Sincerely,

Your Negotiating Committee

Upcoming Road Show Dates – Upcoming meeting accommodations and times are yet to be determined. Please also stay tuned for the dates of the ballot mail-out and tally.